This application relates to oral and personal care compositions, and more particularly to compositions comprising a film entrained in a carrier, in which the film includes an active agent. Such compositions include, for example, dentifrices.
The aesthetic appeal of such compositions is important, and can have significant effects on consumer acceptance and usage. Aesthetic effects have been acknowledged to play an important role in consumer acceptance of many products. Although such products have met with consumer approval, the art seeks to further improve the aesthetic effects as well as the cosmetic and therapeutic benefits of these products. Indeed, many such compositions known in the art are deficient in one or more attributes.
Compositions for enhancing health, hygiene or appearance, such as oral care compositions, skin care compositions and hair care compositions, are used by millions of people. These compositions are used for a wide variety of purposes, including for enhancing personal health, hygiene, and appearance, as well as for preventing or treating a variety of diseases and other conditions in humans and in animals.
The formulation of such compositions presents a number of challenges. They must be pharmaceutically and/or cosmetically acceptable for their intended use. Compositions that contain therapeutic active materials preferably deliver the active at effective levels, avoiding undue chemical degradation. Similarly, compositions containing cosmetically functional materials must deliver the material to, e.g., the oral cavity, skin or hair at effective levels under the conditions that they are typically used by the consumer.
Water-soluble films for oral administration of therapeutic agents are well known in the art. It is also known in the art to use such films for administering a breath freshening agent, e.g., menthol. The known films for administering breath freshening agents and/or active pharmaceutical agents are generally comprised of at least one water-soluble polymer suitable for human consumption and at least one compound that enhances the wettability of the water-soluble polymer, typically selected from polyalcohols, surfactants and plasticizers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,430, disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes a monolayer film that can be adhered to the oral cavity to release a pharmaceutically or cosmetically active ingredient, wherein the film comprises at least one water-soluble polymer; at least one member selected from the group consisting of a polyalcohol, a surfactant and a plasticizer; at least one cosmetic or pharmaceutically active ingredient; and a flavoring agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,478, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes a laminated device for controlled release of a substance within a mucosa-lined body cavity including a water-soluble adhesive layer comprised of a water-soluble polymer and a water-soluble plasticizer, and a water-soluble polymer layer. This patent teaches a multiple layer laminate that dissolves relatively slowly for controlled or sustained release of a substance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,552, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes a trilaminate film suitable for prolonged and sustained delivery of an active ingredient in a buccal cavity. The trilaminate includes a hydratable muco-adhesive base layer; a non-adhesive reservoir layer; and a water-impermeable barrier sandwiched between and bonded to the base layer and the reservoir layer. This patent discloses slowly disintegrating films for prolonged or sustained release of a substance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,244, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, discloses a therapeutic dosage form comprising an anhydrous but hydratable monolithic polymer matrix that contains amorphous fumed silica as well as a therapeutic agent, and a water-insoluble barrier layer secured to the polymer matrix and defining a non-adhesive face. This patent does not disclose rapidly disintegrating films, but instead contemplates compositions that are capable of providing improved availability of therapeutic agents from a controlled release muco-adhesive carrier system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,929, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0053962, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, disclose film forming agents useful in oral care compositions. The films dissolve in the mouth and release functional components, typically flavorants.
It is known to incorporate flavorants, colorants, and some active components in films that dissolve in the oral cavity. These films are used either by themselves as breath freshening strips, teeth whitening strips, or as polymer flakes dispersed throughout an oral care composition. It also is known to incorporate zinc salts in dentifrice formulations. Use of various zinc salts often is limited by the solubility of the zinc, undesirable consumer astringency when higher levels of zinc are utilized, and the reactivity of the zinc once zinc ions are available for reaction (i.e., the zinc ions sometimes cause adverse reactions within the formulation).
Thus, there is an ongoing need for new oral and personal care compositions, and methods of their use.